...Team owner Bungo Shirai apparently told Hiromitsu Ochiai on Tuesday that he fully expects his team to go 16-8 against the Yomiuri Giants this season (the reverse of their fortunes from last season).

Ochiai hit some grounders, for the first time in about month, during fielding practice for pitchers on Tuesday.

...During outfield practice on Tuesday, Dionys Cesar, Yohei Oshima, and Yusuke Matsui worked out in center while Atsushi Fujii, Kei Nomoto, and Masaaki Koike worked out in right. Of course, left field is Kazuhiro Wada's.